Fairfield Maritime and Neste sign charter deal for wind-assisted tanker newbuilds

Japanese shipping company Fairfield Maritime Japan has secured a long-term charter agreement with Finnish oil company Neste for two new medium-range (MR) oil and chemical tankers equipped with wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS).

IMAGE: An ice class MR tanker equipped with WAPS. ENGINE via ChatGPT

Each vessel will have a deadweight capacity of 50,000 dwt and will be built by South Korea's HD Hyundai, with deliveries scheduled for the first and second quarters of 2029.

The tankers will feature WAPS technology, shore power connectivity for use where infrastructure is available, and will be designed for future conversion to methanol fuel.

Built for ice-class operations, the vessels will be capable of sailing in ice-covered waters with icebreaker assistance. This will enable year-round access to Neste's Porvoo refinery in Finland.

Demand for wind-assisted propulsion technologies is gaining momentum as shipowners seek to improve fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions. These systems use wind energy to generate additional thrust, reducing fuel consumption.

In July, Greek shipowner Capital Ship Management, South Korean shipbuilder K Shipbuilding and classification society Lloyd's Register (LR) partnered to develop a 50,000 dwt wind-assisted MR tanker. Separately, Dutch wind propulsion specialist Econowind received design approval from classification society DNV for its suction wing technology.

By Tuhin Roy

Please get in touch with comments or additional info to news@engine.online